Source Sequence and Dates when download from IBM i and upload to GITHUB

[hezjia]

We download the source from RDi, and upload to Git, the source format contains the line sequence and dates. Is there similar function in codefori? as the source in GITHUB would be fetched and applied back to IBM i, without these information, the record of source date would reset to 0.

[artduarte09]

I'm experiencing a similar issue to user above regarding the preservation of source date and line sequence information when working with IBM i source code in VSCode.
Details:
We download source code from RDi, which includes important metadata like line sequence numbers and change dates, and then upload it to Git. This metadata is essential for tracking changes and maintaining version history.
When I download the source from IBM i to a local environment using VSCode for IBM i, the source date is reset to 0, which results in the loss of the original change date information.
I need a solution to ensure that the source date remains intact when fetching and applying source code back to IBM i from Git, so that the record of the source date does not reset.

Also, if I create a new local file in VSCode for i, then upload to IBMi, source dates are also 0.

[worksofliam]

Hi @artduarte09

It's clear we need to set the record straight when it comes to using git, Code for IBM i, and source members.

We download source code from RDi, which includes important metadata like line sequence numbers and change dates, and then upload it to Git. This metadata is essential for tracking changes and maintaining version history.

This is kind of an oxymoron. When you use git, you don't need the source date information as part of the source. That's the entire point of git. Check out features like git blame, which you will find more than adequate.

When I download the source from IBM i to a local environment using VSCode for IBM i, the source date is reset to 0, which results in the loss of the original change date information.

We only download the contents (SRCDTA) of the member and not any other attributes. When downloading members, we do not change the existing source dates. I guess what you really mean is that we don't store the metadata like RDi does in the first 12 characters of each line.

Also, if I create a new local file in VSCode for i, then upload to IBMi, source dates are also 0.

This makes sense. Assuming you're talking about the deploy functionality that is used when developing in a local workspace. We don't track source dates because git replaces this legacy functionality.

p.s. I never recommend duplicating code back into QSYS. You can do all of your work in git and compile through the IFS (see this tutorial), which is much safer than duplicating out of git, working somewhere else, and making sure everyone copies back into a git repo.